A strong brand identity is the backbone of how your business is seen, remembered, and trusted. For marketing leaders and business owners, it acts as the blueprint that ties every message, design, and campaign back to who you are and what you stand for. Without it, marketing efforts can feel scattered and fall flat. On the flip side? When you have a strong identity, your brand has a strong foundation and gains focus, clarity, and the power to build lasting customer relationships.
And it’s not just theory. Consistent branding across all channels can increase revenue by up to 23% according to sources like Forbes. In other words, a clear brand identity doesn’t just make you look good; it makes your marketing work harder for you.
Your brand identity is the entire experience people have when they interact with your business. It’s the promise you make, the voice you use, and the impression you leave behind. Think of it as your company’s personality. It goes deeper than your products or services and speaks to why you exist.
A strong brand helps you:
And trust matters. Statistics show that 81% of consumers need to trust a brand before buying, making your brand a key tool in shaping perceptions and influencing purchasing decisions.
Creating a strong brand identity starts with aligning your mission, values, and audience expectations. It’s about turning strategy into something tangible, including graphic design, messaging, and experiences that reflect who you are and resonate with the right people.
This process usually includes:
When done well, brand identity development ensures every touchpoint, from your website to your social posts, feels connected and intentional. And the payoff is clear: brands that present themselves consistently are 3.5 times more likely to enjoy strong visibility.
Your brand personality is how your business would show up if it were a person. Consider your audience—who they are and how they act. Now, think about how you want your business to come across to them. Meld these two ideas together to form your brand personality. Are you approachable and friendly? Cute and funny? Sophisticated and polished? This personality guides how you speak to your audience and helps create an emotional connection. For marketing leaders, this is a must. Campaigns built around a clear personality are more relatable and inspire stronger engagement.
Design is where your strategy comes to life. It’s your logo, colors, typography, and imagery working together to create instant recognition. Consistent design builds familiarity… and familiarity builds trust. Research shows that color alone can improve brand recognition by up to 80%. Crazy, right? Well, it’s true! But effective brand design is more than just aesthetics or looking “cool.” It’s about building a cohesive vibe that communicates credibility across every platform.
While personality and design set the stage, your brand image is the impression your audience actually carries with them. It’s what they say about you, the emotions tied to your services, and the reputation you build over time. Here’s the upside: a strong brand identity gives you the tools to shape that perception. The payoff? The clearer and more consistent your brand identity, the stronger and more positive your brand image becomes.
For many businesses, creating a strong brand identity takes more than internal effort; it takes perspective, expertise, and a strategic approach. That’s where brand identity services come in.
Our team partners with companies to:
The end result is more than a polished look. It’s a brand that tells your story clearly, resonates with your audience, and strengthens every marketing investment you make. When your brand is strong, your marketing has purpose, and your customers feel it. Get in touch with our team to learn more about our branding services and how a strong brand image can make heads turn and audiences listen.
Cork Tree Creative, Inc., a full-service marketing and public relations firm, today announced we have been certified by the National Veteran-Owned Business Association as a Certified Veteran’s Business Enterprise (VBE) and the State of Illinois Veterans Business Program as a Veteran-owned Small Business (VOSB). In addition to recognizing the military service of company ownership, these certifications connect Cork Tree Creative to a vast network of corporations and organizations who look to support veteran-owned businesses when looking to outsource their marketing services.
In addition to its veteran-owned status, Cork Tree Creative is also certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the Small Business Administration, and a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (WBE) by the State of Illinois.
“The business landscape for women-owned and veteran-owned businesses has increased dramatically thanks to national and state-wide programs, like those in the State of Illinois, that provide designations for businesses that are owned, controlled, operated, and managed by women and veterans. We have worked really hard over the past 13 years to build our business and are grateful to add certifications to our growing list of benefits of working with our team,” said Laura Reed, co-owner of Cork Tree Creative.
Cork Tree Creative, Inc. was formed in 2009 by Jan Carpenter and Laura Reed as an all-inclusive marketing firm offering a full suite of traditional and digital marketing services. Located in Edwardsville, Ill., the company has clients ranging from big brands in energy and engineering to state-wide utility providers and leaders in healthcare and legal services.
We provide all services in-house, taking a hands-on, team approach to projects of all sizes. Services include public relations, website development, graphic design, branding, videography, photography, digital advertising, reputation management, search engine optimization, and more.
“Our all-inclusive approach to marketing is a great asset to our clients as they can call us for all of their marketing needs instead of having to outsource to different vendors,” said Jan Carpenter, co-owner of Cork Tree Creative. “We have a great team and quality, reliable services that we can scale for organizations of all sizes.”
We recently donated a week's worth of meals to Touchette Bicycle Food Mission, a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide members of the Centreville and East St. Louis community with healthy meals every Thursday evening. The organization is completely funded by donations and made up of volunteers who deliver meals on bicycles each week.
Our donation provided 1.1k meals that week, including 800 burritos and 500 sandwiches. Our team also provides marketing support to Touchette Bicycle Food Mission, helping promote the amazing work they do.
Marketing can be overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be when you have a reliable partner to help. Receive a free assessment to see how your marketing efforts stack up and how you can take your brand to the next level.
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